


It's a Long Way Down

by midnightsurge



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Bartender!Eggsy, M/M, Peaky Blinders!Au, Semi-Public Sex, Some Graphic Violence, gangster!harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 09:05:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4298862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightsurge/pseuds/midnightsurge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Yeah, I know who you are,” Eggsy told him with a little scowl, going back to studiously avoiding his gaze. “Everyone’s heard of your lot.”</p><p>	Harry’s lips twitched. “Have they?”</p><p>	“You’s a hard man not to hear about, Mr. Hart. Gave Mr. King quite a bit of trouble with your growin’ business in the last few years,” he shrugged as he relayed the well-known information. There wasn’t a soul in London who didn’t know about Mr. Hart and his gang of outlaws.</p><p>Or</p><p>A Peaky Blinders AU where Harry Hart is at the head of a criminal organisation looking to expand; Eggsy is the unfortunate soul sent to keep an eye on him when a deal is struck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Long Way Down

**Author's Note:**

> There's no need to have seen the show in order to understand what's happening, however I would recommend watching it on account of it being really good!

            The noise from inside the bar was deafening, voices upon voices of people cheering and leering, their yells loud and unbidden. It had been a good day for the lot of them; the tracks had brought in good money, the bookies collecting with smug grins on their faces right as the horses crossed the finish line, not sparing a bloody second. They had more than enough reasons to celebrate.

            The sound reverberated throughout the entire building but that did nothing to stop them.

            Eggsy’s head tipped back, his mouth open in a silent moan as he tried not to buck his hips up, the warm mouth gliding up and down his cock surrounding him with undeniable heat. His hands scrabbled to find purchase in thick, brown hair after a particularly strong suck, a groan choking out of him unwillingly. He felt fingers pinching at his thigh in warning, a reminder not to draw attention to their current predicament.

            Eggsy and Harry were sequestered away in the private room on the right side of the bar, the door closed off to the public though the lock was broken, and the small window that opened on the barkeep’s side to facilitate orders could in fact be used at any moment. The closed space merely gave them the illusion of privacy but they were always aware they had to be quick.

            Anyone could walk in at any moment and find Eggsy perched on the edge of the room’s only large table, his trousers pulled halfway down his thighs and his legs spread open wide enough to allow Harry room to manoeuvre. The older man was seated on a chair, his hands clutching tightly at Eggsy’s hips as he bobbed his head eagerly back and forth, his fingers trailing loving bruises on pale skin.

            “ _Fuck_!” Eggsy gasped out, breath catching in his throat, his toes curling in the confines of his shoes. He wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer.

***

            Harry and Eggsy’s first meeting was less than fortuitous, the setting for their encounter a rather unpleasant one.

            Harry was sitting calmly in his chair, his gaze directed at the old man situated across from him, the bulky and ornate wooden desk a large monstrosity between them. The atmosphere was filled with high-strung tension, both men quiet as they regarded each other carefully.

            “Mr. Hart,” the old man finally said after a while, the glass of scotch near his right hand still untouched, “I must admit your offer sounds very… interesting,” he deliberated, “though more for you and your lot; I fail to see how it would benefit _me_ in any way.”

            “On the contrary, Mr. King,” Harry smiled indulgently, the muscles of his cheeks straining under the effort not to scowl, “it would benefit you greatly. I hear you’ve been having trouble with Valentine’s goons; they’ve been scaring your bookies off, keeping them from collecting their winnings at the end of the races. It is quite widely known that you’re starting to lose control of your tracks.”

            His response caused Chester King to grimace, the wrinkles on his face deepening in displeasure, his eyes shooting a sideways glance at his nephew as he stood guard over the proceedings. Charlie Hesketh’s hand had tightened over the pistol at his hip, his grip unforgiving as the harsh but truthful words spilled from Harry’s mouth. Harry knew he was treading quite a fine line trying to arrange that deal, but he knew he’d have no better options in the long run.

            “I’m proposing a merger, Mr. King; temporary for now, if that is how you’d prefer it,” Harry continued on to business, ignoring the menacing looks the younger man in the corner kept throwing him. “You take us on, let us onto your tracks, and we’ll keep your bookies safe. Valentine wouldn’t be a problem for you anymore. We simply ask for five percent of your earnings for the first six months, and if you’re satisfied with the service we’re offering you and would like to continue on with us, we’ll increase it to six percent.”

            “You have the police working for you,” King sneered. “They’re unreliable.”

            “They would offer you far more protection than you have now. I assure you the men in my employ would never turn their backs on you,” Harry informed him.

            King sat back in his chair, a heavy sigh escaping him as he took hold of his glass and finally took a sip, contemplating the offer on the table. “All of this, for what?”

            “We want to make our business legitimate, Mr. King. Surely you can understand the appeal in no longer having to look over our shoulders every three seconds for fear of being arrested,” his lips quirked tightly. “This is how we must start.” He knew it was only a matter of time before the other man said yes, but the present game of cat and mouse was becoming exhausting; over the years, Harry had begun losing his patience with such things.

            The old man exchanged another look with his nephew before he seemed to come to a decision, though his expression stated he wasn’t completely pleased with it. “Fine. Your men can show me a preview of their so-called talents at the races this Saturday before we officially sign on for anything.”

            Harry waited in his seat, giving no indication that he’d predicted that exact same outcome. He knew, however, that it would not be as easy as a simple ‘yes’.

            “Furthermore,” King continued as he gestured his nephew closer, whispering something in his ear that caused the other to smirk before quickly leaving the room, barely closing the door behind him, “I will be sending someone along with you… to keep an eye on things on your end, as it were.”

            Harry bristled, the implication quite clear; King was sending him a babysitter and a spy to report back his every move, whether or not it had anything to do with King’s business. Harry did not even have the option to say no if he wanted the deal to continue on and, judging by the smug look on his face, Chester King was quite aware of it as well.

            Before he could say anything in response – be it an insult or an agreement –, the door was opened once more, Charlie happily making his way in with another young man on his trail, the boy’s expression sullen and angry. He had clearly not agreed to anything either but, just like Harry, he also could not say otherwise.

Harry found himself attracting trouble rather faster than he’d anticipated; he was instantly entranced by the man’s clear gaze, the sharp jaw clenched in frustration, the veins on his neck standing out enticingly –

Harry cursed silently as he forcefully shook himself out of his stupor; he could not compromise the deal just because he wanted to give in to his baser instincts.

             “This young lad will be working under your employ from now on; he will be sending me weekly reports on your dealings. I expect you to keep him up to date with everything, is that clear?” King explained, his no-nonsense gaze directed at both of them. He would not accept otherwise. “Gary,” he called to the other boy, ignoring the flinch and the glare directed his way at the clearly hated name, “meet your newest employer.”

***

            Eggsy’s back was flat on the table at that point, his chest heaving as he tried to breathe through his numerous gasps. He tried to find purchase for his legs but could only rest them on Harry’s shoulders as the man continued to suck in earnest as though he were a man in the desert drinking water for the first time in weeks.

            Harry had kicked his chair away at some point after having pushed Eggsy down on the table; he was now hunched over the younger man’s hips, eager to draw out his lover’s pleasure but aware they only had such little time. His hands were keeping Eggsy still, one on his thigh, the other on his chest.

            “Harry –” Eggsy choked out a warning before biting down on a cry, his body tensing drastically as he finally found his release after what felt like an infinity of teasing. His limbs shook in the aftermath, nearly convulsing as his fingers clenched tightly in Harry’s hair, the older man unminding of the action. He couldn’t help but whimper as Harry continued sucking, oversensitivity settling in wearily.

            Harry finally pulled away, hand coming up to wipe at his smirking mouth. “Call me ‘old man’ one more time,” he panted against the tempting skin on the crease where pelvis met thigh.

            Eggsy squawked out a laugh, still attempting to regain his breath properly while his body completely refused to move. “This ain’t proper incentive, Harry,” he giggled beautifully, his blue-green eyes crinkling as pleased tears streamed down the corners. “I’ll just keep wantin’ to call you that if this is what I get in return.”

            “Ingrate,” Harry teased, nipping at the skin before straightening up, helping Eggsy pull himself back together. He lowered the younger man’s legs and helped him sit up, lovingly tugging the younger man’s trousers back into place as Eggsy grinned at him from his perch.

            “You love it anyways,” he teased back, his cheeks flushed as he tugged Harry back closer to him once he was in order.

            The older man stood in the space between his thighs, the height of the table allowing them to be face to face as Eggsy remained seated. “That I do,” he admitted quietly, leaning in to gently press a kiss against his lips, unmindful of the lingering taste in his mouth. “Will you be coming over later?” he asked in between kisses.

            Eggsy nodded, his gaze hooded as he observed the man before him. “Have somethin’ to take of, don’t I?” he remarked quietly as he let one of his hands skirt over the bulge in Harry’s trousers, the older man’s breath catching in response.

            “I’ll be holding you to that.”

***

            The journey from Chester King’s city back to Harry’s was a long one; it was made even longer by the fact that both passengers held resentment towards their situations. The air was cold, the end of fall settling in rapidly; the chilly wind built up around them, the open carriage doing very little to keep them warm.

            Harry drove as the younger man sulked in the passenger seat, one lone bag of his personal effects in the back. “What should I call you?” Harry asked after another long moment of silence, his hands steering the car around a horse and the few people milling around the cobbled roads at that time of morning, their curious gazes trained onto the car.

            “What?” the young man turned to look at him for the first time since they walked out of King’s office, an eyebrow raised incredulously.

            “Your name,” Harry clarified patiently, “it isn’t Gary. Or at least, that’s not what you like to be called.” He continued to focus on the roads in front of him. They would be reaching the open road of the countryside soon enough.

            The young man’s face went slack as he stared at him a bit more before eventually turning to look outside, his lips pursing as he debated whether or not to answer the question. “Eggsy,” he stated after a moment. “M’name’s Eggsy.”

            “Eggsy,” Harry tipped his head in acknowledgement. “My name is Harry Hart.”

            “Yeah, I know who you are,” Eggsy told him with a little scowl, going back to studiously avoiding his gaze. “Everyone’s heard of your lot.”

            Harry’s lips twitched. “Have they?”

            “You’s a hard man not to hear about, Mr. Hart. Gave Mr. King quite a bit of trouble with your growin’ business in the last few years,” he shrugged as he relayed the well-known information. There wasn’t a soul in London who didn’t know about Mr. Hart and his gang of outlaws.

            “Had to keep myself busy somehow after the Great War,” Harry admitted sullenly, his eyes still fixed on the road even as he felt the younger man turning to look at him after that particular comment. “I take it you lost your family then?” It wasn’t hard to guess; Chester King was known for taking young wanderers off the street in order to add more hands to his business.

            Eggsy didn’t even bother asking him how he could have possibly known. “Me mother died giving birth to me. Me Da’ died in the War.” His voice was quiet, barely heard over the rumble of the car.

            He’d thought as much. “What’s your relation to Chester King, then?” Harry glanced at him from the corner of his eye, renewing his initial assessment of his latest employee.

            Eggsy huffed, a small sneer temporarily taking over his handsome features. “Ain’t got no relation to him. He took pity on an orphan and decided to take him on as some personal slave of his.”

            “I would’ve thought the man trusted you, sending you back to Birmingham with me.” Harry was mildly surprised. He wouldn’t have thought the old man would leave such an important job in the hands of one who clearly disliked him.

            “He wants you to kill me.” It was a statement, a fact that Eggsy truly believed. There would be no other outcome for him.

            They had finally reached the open road as the words left the younger man’s lips. Harry pulled the car over, the countryside air filling the sudden quiet between them. “He wants the endeavour to fail.” Well, he could not say he was surprised. Eggsy estimated right; if anything were to go wrong, the logical conclusion would be his death as he was the closest relation present to Chester King.

            “He’s countin’ on it,” Eggsy nodded. “Didn’ say a word, but you could see it on his face.”

            Harry observed him for a moment. For a man who was aware he was being sent to his death, he was oddly peaceful about it. “You seem quite at ease with the idea.”

            Eggsy shrugged, his eyes trained on the distance. “There ain’t anythin’ left for me anyway.”

***

            Harry and Egssy had just finished straightening themselves up when a loud knock came at the door, the sound barely heard over the noise the crowd was still making. They exchanged one final heated glance before taking their respective seats at the table, Eggsy at Harry’s right side in a show of unison.

            “Come in,” Harry called out once he’d settled down.

            The door opened and in walked Roxy, a drink in one hand and a small stack of papers in the other. She eyed them both, smiled knowingly once before getting down to business. “Here are the latest accounts,” she started, placing the papers in front of Harry.

            “Why are you still working so late, Roxy?” Harry frowned as he grabbed the stack and pulled them closer. Roxy had always been a bit of a workaholic, but there had to be more to it; even she usually took the nights off to celebrate with everyone else, her voice normally resonating the loudest among the others.

            “Something’s off, Harry,” she told him seriously. “Someone’s been stealing from you; I’ve had Merlin verify the papers as well, in case I’ve calculated something wrong, but he’s just confirmed it.”

Harry perused the numbers, a frown marring his face. “Have we figured out which accounts have been compromised?” he questioned, sparing her a glance.

“Not yet, no,” she confirmed solemnly.

“Thank you, Roxy. Let Merlin know that we’ll have a meeting about this first thing tomorrow morning.”

Roxy nodded and walked back out, making sure to close the door behind her.

Harry slumped slightly in his seat, a weary sigh escaping him. The energy he’d had before had vanished all of a sudden, leaving him feeling exhausted and tired. He would never let anyone other than Eggsy see him in such a state.

“How bad is it?” Eggsy asked, his voice a soothing balm to Harry’s senses.

“Bad enough to warrant immediate attention.” Harry let his eyes slip shut when the younger man placed a hand on the nape of his neck and rubbed slightly.

“Come on, you should get home,” Eggsy pushed him gently. “Get some rest, we’ll sort this whole thing out in the mornin’.”

Harry turned to look at him softly, his fondness for the younger man showing on his face as clear as day. It was a wonder the rest of the world had yet to find out about them. “Where will you go?” he asked in a quiet voice, desperately hoping he’d have the younger man at his side as he fell asleep.

“Got a few things to take care of,” Eggsy told him with an easy smile. “I’ll find you when they’re done.”

***

Eggsy was hesitant as he followed Mr. Hart into a closed bar in broad daylight, the door opening for the older man with a simple knock. He had no other choice but to walk in as well, his feet nearly dragging the entire time.

The way back had been long, and they’d remained quiet for most of the road after their initial conversation. It had given Eggsy enough time to think over what he knew of his newest employer. The man seemed to be able to hold his rage much better than Chester King had ever been able to, of that he had no doubt. In fact, it was hard for Eggsy to reconcile the Harry Hart he was seeing to the one he’d heard about; the man sitting next to him and peacefully driving his car through the countryside and past deserted roads did not at all look like a raging madman with violent tendencies. In fact, he seemed to be the complete opposite. There was no way this Harry Hart was the same one who’d had the full attention of Churchill’s men and the Royal Irish Constabulary just last year.

Eggsy however could tell that there was no other possible explanation once their car had reached the city limits; once the wheels began treading on cobblestone ground, all eyes turned towards them, many fearful, many respectful. It was a big city, of that there was no doubt, but cars were few and far in between, most especially ones that looked the way Harry Hart’s did.

Once they’d pulled up in front of the bar, Eggsy had no choice but to follow the older man in or risk the scrutiny of the people milling about, their beady eyes trained on the newcomer like hawks hunting for prey.

            In hindsight however, Eggsy did not fair that much better inside the bar either. There stood a man behind the counter, his shaved head gleaming under the dimmed lights. A brown-haired woman was seated at the end of the bar, papers strewn around, her head lifting up at the commotion.

            “Merlin, Roxy,” Mr. Hart greeted them amiably. “Meet our newest addition.” He made space for Eggsy to step forward, the younger man nodding hesitantly at the new faces. “Eggsy Unwin. He’ll be working here at the bar until he’s settled into things.”

            The bald man stepped around the bar and walked over, his gaze assessing as he observed the younger man. “You know how to serve drinks?” he finally asked, his voice gruff and accented.

            Eggsy was still for a moment before nodding hesitantly, his eyes flicking over to Mr. Hart before focussing again on the man in front of him.

            “Right. You start tonight.” That was the end of their conversation. The man, Merlin, simply turned and walked back to the bar, sending Mr. Hart a smirk on his way.

            Next in line was Roxy. The woman stayed at her seat as she watched him, her eyes observing him top to bottom. “You’re one of Chester King’s men,” she stated, not truly needing any other explanation.

            “In a sense,” Eggsy confirmed, the resentment evident on his face.

            Roxy nodded and turned back to her papers. “Don’t let anyone walk over you,” she told him absentmindedly. “They sense the smallest amount of fear or hesitation and they’ll trample you to the ground.”

            Mr. Hart placed a hand on his shoulder and began steering him away before he could answer. “You’ll see more of them tonight,” the older man told him as they walked back outside and into the car. “Let’s get you to your quarters first.”

***

            The nightmares were less frequent than they used to be. Needless to say however, that hardly made a difference; they still haunted him nearly every night, though perhaps to a lesser frequency than the years right after the Great War. Tonight however, they came back with a vengeance.

            Harry turned and twisted in his sheets, beads of sweat rolling off his skin and onto the thin mattress beneath him. His breathing was ragged and stilted, the terrifying images a continuous and inescapable stream behind his eyelids, leaving him no moments of peace. He would have no choice but to let them continue on until they finished of their own volition.

            Or, at least, that was how it used to be. Right then, he could hear his name being called in the distance, a reassuring and loving voice filtering through the images of blood and gore. He felt a cool palm on the side of his heated face, Harry automatically turning into the welcoming cold.

            “Harry,” he heard again, the voice low. “Come on, love. S’just a dream, is all,” lips murmured against his ear. “That’s it, love, open those pretty eyes for me.”

            “My eyes are not pretty,” Harry grumbled, his body shifting under the sheets as he finally responded to the voice, waking up slowly.

            He could hear Eggsy’s low giggle, feel a kiss being pressed to his clammy brow. “The prettiest eyes in all of Europe,” the young man teased him. “Come on, move over a bit,” he gently pulled his lover to the edge of the bed and carefully climbed over him, placing himself on the side closest to the wall so as to avoid having Harry feel trapped.

            Harry turned to face him, his expression darkening once more as he finally took in the cuts and bruises littering Eggsy’s skin where they hadn’t been just a few hours before. “What happened?” he asked coldly, his fingers reaching out to trace gently over the damage.

            “S’nothin’,” Eggsy shrugged casually, shuffling in closer to Harry and placing his head on the older man’s chest, right over his heartbeat. “I’ll tell you all about it in the mornin’, I promise.”

            Harry sighed but let the matter go for the moment. He inhaled deeply, his lover’s scent calming him down as he pulled him closer, lightly pressing a kiss on Eggsy’s temple. “Did you have any trouble getting in?”

            Eggsy tilted his chin up to give him an unimpressed look, his blue-green eyes twinkling. “No, given that you gave me a key to the house an’ all. I just let myself in, like you said.”

            Harry struggled to smother a smile but found himself unwilling to.

***

            The bar was crowded the way it always was at that hour of the night. Eggsy had gotten used to the demanding chants of the customers, his hands and arms steady as he carried the beer and the drinks over the bar and around the room.

            He’d been an oddity at the beginning, a curious new addition attracting the attention of the regulars, their eyes following his every movement. Mr. Hart had him mostly working at the bar for the first week, telling him that once he got the hang of things, once he started knowing the people, then he’d start working in the offices with the rest of them.

            The crowd went quiet all of a sudden, all eyes trained to the entrance. Eggsy looked up to see Mr. Hart walking in in all his glory, hat firmly on his head as a gust of cold air followed him in. He spared only the smallest of glances in Eggsy’s direction before heading towards the private room on the right side, Merlin and Roxy following him in closely after. Once the doors closed behind them, the level of the noise arose once more, the crowd letting go of their collective tension as the man disappeared behind closed doors.

            Eggsy shook himself out of his trance, not letting his newly-fledged obsession with the older man distract him from his work. It hadn’t been apparent to him in the beginning; he’d merely thought he was doing what he was meant to, keeping an eye on Hart’s organisation. He soon realised however, that his eyes lingered in places they shouldn’t; on the long lines of the older man’s legs, the broad build of his shoulders, the tapered and lean waist that hid under the coats and vests he wore. Eggsy only glimpsed Mr. Hart without nearly all of his layers on once, the simple white shirt doing nothing to hide the evidence of muscles uncommon in a man his age.

            Eggsy was not new to these feelings; he’d noticed from a young age that he held as much interest for the lads as he did for the birds. He, of course, had to do his very best to keep that part of him hidden, not participating in any ‘telling’ activities unless he was certain they would remain secret. That being said, it was nothing but trouble for him to develop any sort of interest for Mr. Hart. Eggsy would be asking for nothing but death and trouble should he so much as hint to that side of himself.

            He inhaled deeply, momentarily collecting himself before rushing off to do his job, setting himself back behind the counter, accepting money and handing out drinks. A knock on the small window at the end of the bar startled him, slightly breaking him out of his concentration. He stared at it for a moment before mentally steeling himself, taking a deep breath and walking over to it, pulling the wooden panel open and waiting at the ready without saying a word.

            “Two scotches and a beer, Eggsy,” Mr. Hart told him, waiting at the window as the younger man nodded and went about preparing the drinks, placing them on the sill and waiting for the older man to take them.

            He said nothing during the process, refused even to meet his employer’s gaze should he reveal anything of his feelings with a simple glance. He nodded as a response to Mr. Hart’s thanks and waited for the other man to close the panel, not moving away until he did. It was only then that he let himself release the oxygen he’d held in his lungs, his heart beating loudly in his chest.

            His interactions with Harry Hart would be the death of him.

***

            “Seems I have a promise to keep,” Eggsy said as he suddenly sat up, quick to straddle the older man while still giving him the option to push him off if ever it was too much too soon. “I clearly remember saying I’d have somethin’ to take care of once I got back,” he grinned cheekily, his hand slipping down and grabbing hold of Harry’s crotch.

            A moan was ripped out of Harry’s throat, body bucking up unconsciously, seeking more pressure, more heat. “Christ,” he gasped out, hands coming up to clutch at Eggsy.

            “You seem to be feelin’ better already,” Eggsy laughed as he placed his hands on Harry’s shoulders, steadying himself as he began to roll his hips down, head tipping back and eyes slipping closed. His mouth fell open in a silent moan, cheeks flushing prettily in the little light they had.

            “You’re going to be the death of me,” Harry groaned, his fingers spasming around the younger man. “Get your bloody trousers off for Christ’s sake,” he pulled at the fabric as though it mortally offended him, a sigh of relief escaping him once his lover acquiesced, standing up and off the bed before stripping down completely. Harry did the same, pulling his clothing off and throwing it to the side, his arms wide open and welcoming once Eggsy climbed back on top of him.

            “Here,” Eggsy stretched over to the bedside table and opened the first drawer, pulling out a much-used jar and placing it next to his lover. “Been fuckin’ waitin’ for this for days now, not goin’ to deny me now, are you?” he smirked before rolling his hips once more, twin gasps escaping them both.

            Harry grabbed the blasted thing and hurriedly coated his fingers. Eggsy had not been the only one waiting for this.

***

            “You seem to be settling in well,” Mr. Hart remarked one night after they closed the bar, Eggsy staying behind to clean as he always did.

            The younger man only paused for a moment, slowly nodding in his employer’s direction before continuing on, collecting the empty glasses from various tables. He wasn’t quite sure what to think of the recent turn of events; Mr. Hart never stayed behind after closing hours, usually choosing to retire earlier than everyone else. Was there a reason for this sudden change in pattern?

            “How are the bookies treating you?” Mr. Hart continued, pulling back a chair and taking a seat, crossing one leg over the other.

            “Um, well, yeah,” he nodded, his back to the man as he started replacing the stools. “Not givin’ me any trouble or anythin’.” He’d been working days at the gambling den for a few weeks by then, though he continued his work at the bar by night.

            “And you; how are you feeling about all of this?”

            The question threw Eggsy off-guard, the glass he’d been picking up slipping from his hands and shattering at his feet. “Shit,” he cursed lightly as he crouched down, picking up the shards with his bare hands.

            “I hadn’t quite expected the question to startle you as much.” The voice was much closer, the reason much more evident when Eggsy suddenly found Mr. Hart kneeling down next to him, helping him pick the shards off the floor.

            Eggsy’s mouth opened and closed a few times, words escaping him as he felt the older man’s body heat from just how near he was. He gulped nervously, choosing to focus his attention on the job at hand rather than letting his attention wander off to thoughts he should not be having.

            “Are you alright?” Mr. Hart asked after a moment of deliberate silence.

            The young man nodded, clearing his throat before speaking. “Jus’ leave that to me,” he tilted his chin towards the rest of the mess. “S’my job an’ all.”

            “Eggsy –” Harry started but was interrupted by the front door banging open, the force of it nearly knocking the bloody thing off its hinges.

            Eggsy was quick to get back on his feet, the conversation at hand forgotten when he spotted the three strangers who’d just made their way in. “Bar’s closed, boys,” he looked them up and down, not at all liking the energy they were projecting. “Goin’ to have to find some other place, yeah?”

            “We’re here with a message,” one of them sneered, taking in the interior of the bar with thinly veiled disgust. “Valentine ain’t too happy about these recent turn of events; he sends his greetings.” At that, all three men lifted the guns they’d had concealed under their coats; Eggsy only had enough time to pull Mr. Hart down before a spray of bullets passed right where they had been standing.

            Eggsy then reacted automatically; there was a reason Chester King had kept him around even though he’d been the bane of the older man’s existence; Eggsy Unwin was a ticking time-bomb, his rage igniting at the worst of moments. He was a wild card, as they’d called him. Before he knew it, he’d already sprung up and tackled the middle man, sending him flying to the floor, Eggsy on top of him. Without thinking, he used the shards of glass still in his hand to cut the man’s throat open, a thin veil of sanity returning to him only as he saw the blood pouring across the hardwood floor.

            A hit from behind caught him off-guard, sending him skidding and sprawling onto his side, the breath knocked out of him. The second hit came fast, right in the ribs, keeping him from being able to stand back up again. There would be a plethora more to come, he knew it; he was also ready for them.

***

            Eggsy lowered himself slowly, taking Harry inch by inch, the pace torturous for the both of them. His thighs were already quivering with the effort to stay up, Harry’s hands not much better as they grasped at Eggsy’s hips savagely, nails biting into skin.

            The younger man moaned loudly, unable to hold himself back; he loved it when Harry marked him, left traces on him that no one else would be able to see. He knew he was supposed to be quiet, if only for the sake of keeping up appearances – Merlin and Roxy were the only other tenants sharing the household with Harry, both of whom were already aware of their arrangements. Still, they couldn’t get into bad habits in that house lest they start making mistakes on the outside as well, though that was usually not enough incentive for either of them.

            Once he’d finally sunk down all the way, he stayed there for a moment, forcing his eyes open and looking down at his lover. He smiled at him as he got used to being filled, the blissful expression on Harry’s face one he felt he was mirroring.

            “If you don’t start moving,” Harry grit out through his teeth, his fingers still grasping tightly, “you’re going to regret it.”

            Eggsy cackled, finally doing as his lover told him to, rocking his hips back and forth as he got used to the feel of it once more. “Every time,” he gasped out, sparks flying up and down his nerve-endings. “Every bloody time, still feels like the fuckin’ first.” He knew he was making noise with every thrust, moans punching out of him as Harry began moving in time with him.

            “Fuck – Eggsy!” Harry tried to regain control of the situation but he knew it was for naught. The only thing he could do was lay back and ride it out.

***

            The fight didn’t last long at all. That man who’d been kicking Eggsy down to the ground suddenly found himself minus his eyes, his body turning prone as his dying breath left him. The third man, the last one, barely had time to do anything before Mr. Hart and Eggsy both barreled right into him, sending him and his gun skidding across the floor.

            Mr. Hart had not held himself back; he’d hit and hit with his bare fists, very well caving the man’s skull in. Eggsy had not dared say anything as he watched with a gaping mouth, his eyes wide with surprise. He’d certainly just been proven first-hand that Mr. Hart was deserving of the fear he was shown on a daily basis.

            It took a while before the older man managed to pull himself out of his bloodthirsty haze, his dark brown eyes beginning to clear up as he sat back and struggled to assess the entire situation.

            Eggsy observed him carefully from his perch on the floor, his hands still soaked with the blood of the man he’d killed, the body still lying barely a few feet away from him. He slowly pulled himself into an upright position, only beginning to take in the damage done to him when his employer suddenly spoke up.

            “Why did you do that?” Mr. Hart was looking at him intensely, his gaze boring into him unapologetically.

            The young man did not dare insult him by pretending he didn’t know what he was talking about. “Instinct,” he answered simply, shrugging his sore shoulders all the while avoiding the other man’s eyes. “Not much else to it.”

            Mr. Hart said nothing else as he slowly stood up, indicating that Eggsy should do the same. He walked out of the bar, stopping only to say a few words to some men who had gathered outside the door following the commotion. The men nodded at him, going inside to presumably clean up the mess they’d made and get rid of the bodies.

            Together they walked the short distance to Mr. Hart’s abode, Eggsy following along in fear of what the man would do should Eggsy go off on his own. They arrived at the threshold in the dead of the night, Mr. Hart walking up and unlocking the entrance, moving to the side and letting Eggsy enter first.

            The younger man looked up at him, and hesitated; he didn’t know where the whole ordeal was leading. One raised eyebrow from his employer however had him moving, entering the house and hearing the door close behind them. Eggsy turned around but  had no time to think or react before he was suddenly tackled to the ground, the weight on top of him surprising but not as much as the lips that found his. Mr. Hart’s mouth pressed insistently against his, Eggsy responding instantly despite his confusion.

            “You beautiful, infuriating –” Mr. Hart growled against his lips, cutting himself off to kiss him some more, his tongue running along Eggsy’s bottom lip; the younger man eagerly let his lips fall open, more than willing to let Mr. Hart lick into his mouth. He wasn’t quite certain what he was allowed to do, unsure of whether he could place his hands on the waist that had so hypnotised him, and so he left them at his side, unwilling to take the risk of ruining the moment between them.

            “Mr. Hart –” Eggsy moaned as he tried not to buck his hips up. It was as if the other man knew exactly what he wanted, pulling back only a little bit to spread Eggsy’s legs open and pressing himself between them. A cry ripped out of Eggsy unbidden, his thighs automatically clenching around the older man. “Harry!” he couldn’t stop himself from saying.

            Harry seemed to approve of Eggsy’s slip, a litany of curses escaping him as they rutted together right there just a few feet away from the door, one thin piece of wood separating them from the outside world.

***

            Eggsy cried out as he came hard, his body falling forward as he rested his forehead against Harry’s. They were slick with sweat, their bodies sliding easily together as Harry continued to thrust upward, desperately seeking his own release and finally finding it not moments after with a groan ripping out of him.

            They lay there in the same position, panting in the aftermath and basking in the glow. The bed, which had been creaking like mad since they’d started, had finally settled down, the silence filled with their breathing and the quiet sounds of the night.

            “Are you feelin’ better?” Eggsy murmured against his lips, lovingly pressing a kiss there right after.

            Harry huffed out a laugh, his arms coming up to wrap around the younger man’s waist, pulling him even closer. “Infinitely better,” he smiled serenely. “I know I’ve said this before,but I’ll say it again; you are more than welcome to simply stay here. Get rid of that little place you’ve barely been staying in and come live with us.”

            Eggsy looked at him with his blue-green eyes, his gaze ever so hopeful even when he knew the consequences. “People will talk,” he said instead, looking away as he climbed off him, lying down on the mattress and settling into his side instead.

            “Let them.” Harry meant it. No one would dare say anything on account of him being who he was. “They have no proof.”

            “King knows,” he finally told him, a sigh escaping him at the admission. “I was goin’ to wait ‘til mornin’ to tell you, but I suppose now is just as good a time as any.”

            “Is that where you were?” Harry asked him after a moment, turning over to take another look at Eggsy’s injuries.

            “There’re some men in town,” Eggsy snuggled in closer, pressing a kiss to Harry’s chest before continuing, “some of Chester King’s men. They’re behind the missin’ money. I’m guessin’ he thinks we won’t retaliate, what with him knowin’ about us and all.”

            The older man sighed, the news wearing him down and draining him of energy. “I suppose we’ll finally have to take care of that little problem, then.”

            A noise sounded from the end of the hall, both of them freezing and turning their gazes towards the door. It happened again and Eggsy couldn’t help himself from holding back a laugh, his eyes crinkling as he attempted to smother the sound by pressing his face into Harry’s neck, his shoulders shaking with suppressed giggles.

            “Merlin is going to kill us one of these days,” Harry remarked causally as the door at the end of the hall slammed closed, a string of curses heard all the way to Harry’s room.

            “My bet is on Roxy getting to us first,” Eggsy snorted before dissolving into another fit of laughter, the bed shaking slightly under the intensity. “I suppose we may as well get a new bed if I’m to be livin’ with you and all,” he remarked, casually glancing up to see Harry’s reaction.

            The smile on the older man’s face was enthralling, his arms wrapping even tighter around Eggsy as he pressed their bodies together. “That will be our first order of business – once we’ve finished dealing with Chest King, of course.”

***

            “I heard Valentine’s been killed,” Roxy spoke as she entered Harry’s office, Merlin close on her heels. “He was found this morning. Was beaten pretty badly too.” She eyed Harry speculatively, her gaze drifting over to Eggsy as she did the mental calculations, the younger man sitting in the armchair in the corner of the room.

            The two men were still heavily bruised, the fight in the bar having occurred only a few days before. The strenuous activities following the fight may have also lent to a few inadvertent injuries as a consequence of their combined roughness, but it was just as they liked it. They attempted to look as innocent as they possibly could, feigning ignorance as the news was delivered to them.

            “Wouldn’t have had anything to do with the damage inflicted to the bar a few days ago, I wonder,” Merlin piped up. “Seems like Valentine’s men had stirred up a bit of trouble once he’d found out you’d made a deal with Chester King.”

            “Valentine’s fate was entirely of his own making,” Harry barely looked up at them as he went through the papers on his desk. “Besides, he’s been an annoying thorn in my side for quite some time.”

            Roxy’s intelligent eyes lingered on the bruises littering Eggsy’s face, correctly jumping to the right conclusion. “What could he have possibly done this one time that was worse than all the rest?” she smirked knowingly at her employer.

            Those closest to Harry Hart knew the kind of man he was. It was not easy to send him into a seething rage, hence the reason it took so long for certain people to realise just how dangerous he was. Hurting those closest to him however was a sure way to guarantee one’s own death. Roxy and Merlin could only guess that some sort of connection developed between Eggsy Unwin and Harry Hart in the short time that the younger man has been with them. Valentine made a bloody awful mistake when he chose to send men over and injured him in the process.

            “Right,” Merlin nodded sagely. “I supposed it’s time for our next order of business then?”

            “Valentine most likely didn’t make the decision to attack us on his own,” Roxy announced as she took her seat in front of Harry’s desk. “We think King may have been about to double-cross us; looks like they were in the midst of a deal for reconciliation, the both of them turning against you.”

            “We’d already seen this as a possibility,” Merlin continued, choosing to stay standing instead. “Even more so when he decided he would be sending someone to observe us.” He tipped his head to Eggsy, though he meant no hard feelings.

            “I’ve been lyin’ to him,” the younger man suddenly said, flushing a little bit when the attention of all three of them was suddenly on him. “In my last few missives. He seemed to be plannin’ somethin’, askin’ for the time and place where certain deliveries were to be made; I just thought it would be a better idea to keep him off your trail.”

            Merlin and Roxy gaped at him for a moment.

            “Well,” Harry cleared his throat. “Merlin, Roxy, if you’ll excuse us, Eggsy and I have a few things we need to discuss.” His gaze was heated as his eyes met Eggsy’s, silently making promises of great things to come.

***

            In his last living moments, Chester King had been made to witness every inch of his falling empire. He saw as everything he’d worked for was dismantled in front of him, the years of work he’d put in all for naught, and all at the hands of those he’d underestimated the most. He should have known the boy would lie to him, send him false information that would lead to his own eventual demise.

            Harry Hart and the Unwin boy had stood in front of him, side by side in solidarity as everything fell around him, police officers filtering in and out.

            “You little _fucks_ ,” King spat at them, his face red with anger. “You think I don’t know about the two of you?! One word from me and no one will spare you another fucking look!” he shouted, his hand slamming against his desk.

            The smirk on Hart’s face only served to anger him even more. “Mr. King,” the man spoke calmly, taking the last few steps to bring himself closer to the other man. “You seem to think you’ll still have your tongue on you at the end of the day.” The smile on his face was cruel. The Unwin boy’s smile was even crueler. The police officers were sure to close the door behind them as they left, leaving Chester King to his fate at the hands of two raging men.

            From that day on, rumours of Harry Hart’s notoriety grew even larger, fear of him spreading like wildfire that was never to be tamed. Eggsy Unwin remained by his side throughout his endeavours as they slowly but steadily expanded their business in both legitimate and illegitimate ways alike.

            “Maybe I should’ve thanked old Chester King before we took care of him,” Eggsy mused aloud, his head resting against Harry’s shoulder. They sat together on the floor of their new room, their legs stretched out in front of them as they leaned against the wall. The window opposite them had a beautiful view, trees and greenery as far as the eye could see.

            That particular house was hidden away in the countryside, away from prying eyes. They had more than enough money to spare on a second house – and a third, and a fourth, and so on –, most especially one that was far enough away to allow them to be together in peace when they needed it.

            “Oh I think we thanked him enough,” Harry scoffed as they tangled their legs together. “We let him live for much longer than he deserved; that was more than adequate, I think.”

            “I love it when you get angry,” Eggsy smirked up at him. “Your face goes all…” he waved his fingers in front of his eyes as though that explained what he meant. “S’very attractive.”

            “Remind me why I put up with you?” He laughed as Eggsy released an undignified sound, the younger man springing up to straddle him, sitting on his lap and taking hold of his face.

            “You take that back, old man,” Eggsy teased, leaning in to press kisses on his lips. “Take it back, take it back!”

            Giggles erupted out of Harry as kisses straying from his mouth to cover the rest of his face. “We’ll have this for a while, won’t we?” he sighed happily as he gripped Eggsy’s thighs and pulled him closer.

            “You know I’d kill anyone who tried to take this away from us,” his lover let his fingers gently caress Harry’s face, forcing their eyes to meet. “Harry. I’d burn anyone who even thought of it.”

            Harry gazed at him. Eggsy was his world now and no one could change that. Not the horses, not the money, not anything else. Just Eggsy. Perhaps some would say it was dangerous, placing his entire being in one other person the way he was, but Harry couldn’t give a fuck. “I wouldn’t expect anything different, darling.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come join me [here](http://midnightsurge.tumblr.com) on Tumblr!


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